Solar farm coming to area?

GRAVENHURST - A Toronto-based developer is seeking support from town council to apply for the rights for a solar farm along Canning Road in Severn Bridge.
Mark Bell, director for Lakeview Solar Farm Inc. and co-owner of Mariposa Solar Farms, made his presentation to Gravenhurst council Nov. 6, saying “We believe we are best placed to receive this contract,” when the Ontario Power Authority begins to accept applications next year.
With the recent turmoil in the provincial Liberal party ranks, there will be some delay before another round of applications will be accepted, he said, but anticipates that will begin in early 2013.
In order to position the company with as strong an application as possible, he was in front of council to ask for their endorsement for the $35-million, eight-megawatt development that must eventually be approved by the power authority.
Bell said the development has already received approval from TransCanada Engineers to site the farm on the same property their pipeline runs through and they have conducted preliminary environmental impact studies that have returned favourable. He added the nature on the land there would not be disturbed and a rear property woodlot would not be touched in development.
As part of the continuing process, Bell said the company will be contacting neighbouring residents and organizing public outreach to gauge any interest or concerns.
“We will, with their feedback and ideas, design an adequate berm and tree buffer to provide visual screening around the site,” he added, saying at least two public meetings will be held as well. “Once the project is built we want people to forget it’s there; we want a low-profile, out-of-sight, out-of-mind project.”
The municipality will be due taxes assessed at an industrial rate, although those exact rates have not yet been set by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, but should be far in excess of the current agricultural rates being collected on the essentially vacant land. The property is not currently in use for farming.
Bell said the project should also inspire some economic spinoff and brings with it the potential to create jobs.
“We can’t promise local jobs, but we can do our best to get them here,” he said, explaining local subcontractors will be sought to help in construction if the application is successful as well as the need for maintenance and security personnel during the farm’s expected 20-year life span. “We would, with council’s support and from the economic development office and the assistance of the Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce, like to identify the top five local sub-contractors in each category (for example, concrete laying, site preparation) to be put on our pre-qualification tenders. We will then use our best efforts to get jobs and spending here.”
In order to alleviate some potential concerns about the proliferation of solar farms locally, Bell said it’s not likely enough contracts will be handed out for that to be a concern.
“In our opinion this is not going to happen. Very few solar projects, roof-top or ground-mount like ours, will have a chance at contracts; there aren’t enough contracts to go around,” he said. “In addition, there is only a limited connectivity to the electrical grid. You might see one or two successful solar farm applicants after ours.”
Lastly, Bell addressed the decommissioning of the project come the end of its 20-year life. He said as part of the application process, a decommissioning plan must be in place.
“But of course, there’s no assurance, 20 years out, there will be anyone left standing to carry it out,” he said, adding if that was the case, the municipality would be left with the liability of removal.
In order to provide assurance the municipality will not be left on the hook, the developer’s decommissioning plan includes establishing a bond in a trust account that would grow over the years to ensure there is enough money banked to remove the structures and return the land to its original state.
“As a sign of good faith, we want to eliminate this potential risk,” Bell added. “We can provide this financial assurance because we feel the residual value of the equipment will be greater than the cost of removing it.”
Council deferred the decision to draft a support resolution for now as staff needs to determine if any rezoning may be required for the lot and to ensure the scope of the project suits the official plan.
Town director of infrastructure and community services Geoff Carleton will help draft that report. He said that along with Bell’s proposal, there are two other solar projects expected to come to council’s table for support in the near future as well, but those two are smaller, roof-top installations.